It’s almost time for class to begin at Triton Academy, a VCOE school in Camarillo that serves students with autism. Teacher Denise Pannell is seated at her computer in a sparkling classroom in the recently completed building that is Triton’s new home, but there are no students to be seen. They’ll all be joining the class from home via Zoom.

The students’ faces soon fill Pannell’s screen, and they respond enthusiastically when she asks them questions. She has a large card that says “mute” on one side and “unmute” on the other to visually remind her class when to turn their microphones on and off. “We’re working on teaching the social skills our students need over Zoom,” Pannell says. “But they’re missing out on interactions with their peers. They should be back in class as soon as it’s safe.”

Triton high school student Connor Partington says adjusting to distance learning hasn’t been easy, but he appreciates the work everyone is doing to make it as engaging as possible. “I think the teachers, students and parents are doing a really good job coping with it and doing their best to deal with the situation,” he says.

Distance learning has been an adjustment for Connor’s mom Aggie as well. “It’s challenging whether your kid has special needs or not,” she says. “But especially for some of our kids who really thrive with experiential learning, which is what Triton does so well.”

The challenges are even greater for parents of students with severe disabilities who may be non-verbal and require medical attention throughout the day. VCOE operates several schools to serve their needs, but these campuses are currently closed due to the pandemic. 

“We’re very fortunate that we have a team of dedicated teachers and staff who are engaging with their students and their parents,” says Dr. Cesar Morales, VCOE’s Deputy Superintendent for Student Services. Morales says teachers, paraeducators and specialists are in frequent contact with parents to answer questions and direct them to resources to help them get through this unusual situation until school campuses reopen.

Over the summer, VCOE ran a pilot program where special education students came to class in small groups. It provided valuable experience on the practical realities of wearing masks, social distancing and cleaning protocols that will be put to good use when school campuses reopen. In the meantime, VCOE has developed a website with distance learning resources for special education families at www.vcoe.org/SPED-DL.